


The Tinker & The Terror

by CreamMoon



Series: Bottom Arthur Fest 2017 [4]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Beauty and the Beast Fusion, Bottom Arthur, Bottom Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Friends to Lovers, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-14
Updated: 2017-04-14
Packaged: 2018-10-18 16:37:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10620867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreamMoon/pseuds/CreamMoon
Summary: "Let me take it instead!" He cried, standing before his panicked men with arms outstretched, palms up as though to receive a gift rather than the wrath of a High Fae.The Unseelie woman smiled widely, inclining her head at him as the men begged for their lives still, his small form quivering beneath her strange gaze as he struggled to hold his ground."You would receive it willingly? Truly?"





	

**Author's Note:**

> Because prompt 3 took over my life this one was barely a third done so I'm sorry that I'm delivering later but here it is!!!

"Let me take it instead!" He cried, standing before his panicked men with arms outstretched, palms up as though to receive a gift rather than the wrath of a High Fae.

The Unseelie woman smiled widely, inclining her head at him as the men begged for their lives still, his small form quivering beneath her strange gaze as he struggled to hold his ground.

"You would receive it willingly? Truly?"

"I would do anything for my men." Arthur stated bravely, straightening further and pursing his lips, waiting for what would surely come.

"Such loyalty." She clicked her tongue, eyes glittering as she flicked her wrist, producing a deep red rose from nothing. "Truly awe inspiring. A gift for thee, my darling little LeFou."

Leaning in she pressed the petals of the rose to his mouth, a warmth spreading across his lips and into his body, Arthur gasping loudly as his men shrieked in terror.

"Till loyalty is delivered to match your own this form you shall wear, whether in happiness or in despair."

***

Merlin's mother was half a day late and her only son was beginning to fret, the tall man pacing the floor of her bakery as he wondered at her whereabouts. He always came around to help her unload her cart of flour in the morning and yet she was nowhere to be seen. It was so unlike her.

Finally making up his mind he went back outside and clambered onto his steed, riding out into the forest that bordered their village. Hunith always insisted on traveling the old roads, the ones his grandfather had taught her to use. It aggravated him that his great grandfather's stubborn streak still ran strong in them. If his mother was more reasonable he wouldn't have to be so worried right now!

Riding out into the forest might've raised his hackles very high but it was worth it to make sure his mother was all right... But finding evidence that she was quite the opposite made them rise further, Merlin doing his best to track things as far as he could go.

His searching lead him to a bramble filled part of the wood, the foliage eventually giving way to a narrow clearing that lead up to a crumbling wall. An old fence of some kind, seemingly one sturdy in make but shaken apart by the thick roots that grew up beneath, knocking them akimbo and cracking the mortar. Merlin didn't know what to think of his mother's tracks leading to and then abruptly ending there, panic burning in his chest as he clambered through the gap, leaving his horse tied to a nearby tree.

The towering trees had obscured what lay beyond but once through Merlin found himself in a lush garden, his mind blanking as he looked over it's well cared for state, the somewhat dilapadated mansion beyond registering slower because of it. Had his mother taken shelter here?

"You're standing on my chives." A voice growled from his right, making his attention turn in an instant.

The beast before him stood on its hindlegs, mismatched to the rest of its sable furred body and covered instead with shiny blue scales. Over it's front there was a tattered facsimile of an apron, the sole front pocket heavy with tools, their numerous handles peeking at him over the edge. It appeared to be frowning at Merlin, it's nose a bit wrinkled but over all the muzzle had not had its lips pulled back to bare any teeth, so he supposed at least it didn't mean to eat him just yet. It stood at least a foot taller that him with its current pose, a feat that none before had managed in adulthood.

The beast cocked its head, eyes narrowing as it made a vague gesture at him with it's strangely long paws. "Get. Off. Of them."

"Oh!" Merlin exclaimed, looking down and stepping away, the beast seeming to grimace at the sharp, loud sound, ears flicking a bit. The man looked back up, terror only somewhat abated. "I'm sorry about that."

The beast snorted and shrugged, suddenly falling to all fours as though it had not just been standing around like a man would, plodding around the plants carefully and settling down in front of a row of flowering things, nosing at their leaves briefly.

After a long bout of silence it spoke again, tone terse. "Why're you still here?"

"Oh!" Again that aggravated flick of its ears, Merlin's nerves going all raw again. "I... er... I just... I was looking for my mother. She's gone missing. That's how I got here."

Lifting it's head the beast seemed to raise an eyebrow at that. "Is that so?"

Suddenly everything felt odd, as though he were dreaming up this encounter rather than living it. "I don't suppose... you've seen her? I tracked her here..."

The beast eyed him before turning it's head back toward the flowers, it inhaling deeply before taking its teeth to the stem, holding it in it's mouth gingerly as it stood and padded toward the dilapidated structure, looking back at Merlin in an expectant way.

Surely one would have to be mad to follow such a thing... but he did, so he supposed he might as well be mad if this was the way the day was going to go. Talking beasts that gardened?

Surely he had to be out of his mind.

"Oh, is that for me?"

Merlin didn't quite know what to make of finding Hunith inside the strange building, safe and sound, evidently having a cup of tea. She smiled widely at the beast and petted the top of it's head as she took the flower from it, the sable thing blinking its blue eyes a few times before closing them and leaning into the touch as she rubbed betwixt it's horns.

"Merlin!" Hunith said, finally noticing him idling awkwardly in the door frame, her hand still pressed atop the beast's head as she smiled broadly at him. "I'm so sorry, my darling, I ran into some trouble."

"I had a feeling." Merlin sighed, shoulders sagging slightly with relief. It was bizarre watching the strange thing behave almost like an overgrown house cat, his mother still petting it's head as he spoke. "What happened?"

"Thieves accosted me on the road, tried to rob me. The horse kicked one over... but the Lord here came to my rescue." She replied, smiling as she looked down at the beast, one blue eye popping open again to address her attention.

The thing cleared it's throat, the sound rough and strange to Merlin's ears. "It was the least I could do."

"And then you went beyond and offered me shelter in the meantime. You really ought to let me thank you properly."

"The tea is more than enough." It replied, suddenly slinking from her grip and heading toward a bowl that had escaped Merlin's notice, the beast lapping at the contents briefly before sitting again on it's haunches to look over it's guests. "I suppose that tracking your horse down will no longer be an issue?"

"I brought our mare." Merlin responded before Hunith could, his mother looking bemused. The beast just bobbed it's head in understanding before padding across the room.

"Very well. I will keep an eye out for the horse. Have a safe trip home." And with that the beast disappeared out the door, leaving Hunith and Merlin in it's sitting room alone.

Loading up the rescued wares and his mother Merlin set out with the cart, mind still bowled over by the strange encounter. Hunith seemed less bothered though her expression was pensive, and Merlin couldn't resist prodding her on the slow ride home. "What is it?"

"Ah, the Lord... it's not as though he said very much. We only chatted a little while..." She inclined her head a little, watching the trees as they rolled by. "But it just feels so sad, him being alone there. He said that he hasn't had real tea in ages! Seems all the others who worked there are long gone."

"So that... thing? Is really a Lord?"

Hunith frowned but nodded. "Nobility used to house around these parts before you were born, but only a few stuck around... There was a lot of buzz not long ago of one of them passing on and leaving trouble. Perhaps the Lord was of that family."

Merlin just snorted at the conjecture, shaking his head a bit at the thought. "I doubt that thing was telling you the truth. There's no way it was ever human."

His mother seemed irritated by the response but said nothing more, their ride silent the rest of the way home, Merlin's mind still spinning with the strange beast at the fore.

***

A week later he's standing inside the ruined walls again, prowling back and forth as he tried to find the strange thing that saved his mother.

"Hello? Are you around?"

"What are you doing back here?" That strangely rough voice asked from just behind him, Merlin twirling around to find the beast standing again as though it were a man, though this time it looked surely more wrong footed than the first time they had encountered one another. Today it wore a haphazardly tied cloak around it's shoulders, the deep red complimenting it's beautiful sable fur. "I haven't seen the horse if that's what you're after."

"No, no, Marigold turned back up days ago." Merlin placated unthinkingly, the beast looking some approximation of puzzled at his response. Clearing his throat a little he looked off to the side and got to the point. "I'm here to repay you. For saving my mother."

"Unnecessary." The thing cut in sharply, it's tone a near growl. "I need nothing from you."

The dark haired man frowned, brow furrowing deeply as he pursued things regardless of the response. "I can help you. Surely you could need help maintaining this place!"

The beast looked fit to snarl, it crossing it's arms awkwardly as it's blue eyes narrowed at Merlin. "I don't need a useless cretin tromping around my home and mucking up things. Go back to your mother and leave me be."

Merlin made a scandalized noise at the response, the beast's ears pinning back as it dropped to it's haunches and stalked away, its tail wagging in that animalistic body language that clearly spoke of "leave me be". But Merlin was having none of it, stomping after the aggravating thing and shaking his bag at it. "It'll take more than that to be rid of me! There is a debt to be repaid here, and I am damn well going to repay it!"

Suddenly the beast turned and swiftly pounced on him, knocking him to the ground and the air from his lungs, it actually roaring in his face. "LEAVE! NOW!"

Merlin cringed briefly but slapped a hand over it's muzzle, shoving on it angrily. "Oh let me up you spoilt whelp!!"

Clearly shocked the beast went with the movement, Merlin scooting from out from under the sable body to stand again, dusting himself off before marching into the dilapidated mansion. Quadrupedal footfalls followed in his wake, the beast growling low as he further invaded it's space.

"Now then," Merlin started, dropping his bag in the sitting room he'd found his mother in the week prior. "I'm going to find a place to sleep and get started on... whatever I see fit to fix up."

Clearing his throat he pointed at the beast, it's hair still raised in displeasure, scaled tail lashing behind it as blue eyes stared him down. "What shall I call you by? My mother called you Lord. Are you really a male?"

The beast wrinkled it's nose, snarling at the question. "Of course I'm male, you imbecile."

"Difficult to tell." Merlin sniped back, gesturing at him. "You're not exactly something that shows like other beasts."

He snarled again in displeasure, stalking back and forth like a man might've paced the room. "Take my word for it, _peasant_."

"So you're Lord _what_ exactly?"

"LeFou." It- _he_ bit out, finally flopping to the floor with a loud huff, curling up beneath his red cloak as though it were a blanket.

Merlin raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You're a French lord?" He certainly didn't sound it.

"It is the name my godmother gave me." For some reason the response sounded sarcastic. Merlin paid it no mind, plowing onward.

"In that case, Lord LeFou, I will be fixing supper at seven, please be ready to eat by seven thirty."

LeFou snorted. "Good luck with the clocks, they stopped working ages ago."

Thankfully Merlin's vocation afforded him the skills to deal with the clocks, as any tinker worth their salt should be able to fix a delicate jam or two. He calibrated them by the Sun's position outside and then set to work, poking about the mansion for a room to stow his things. A small bedroom on the first floor suited him fine, the tinker finding what looked to be the Lord's room just down the hall. He made a mental note to start work in there the next day, the linens smelling dingy from where he stood but shockingly not rank as he thought a beast's home might.

Once settled he moved on to starting to straighten things up in the household, finding his first large project in a room that had had it's ceiling cave in, the debris that remained of the roof beneath several layers of leaves, the the self appointed servant beginning to drag the larger pieces aside, opening the window and tossing them out just to have them out of the way. Clearing the majority he surveyed the hole next, frowning as he wondered if the Lord of the mansion had a ladder and tools stowed somewhere.

"You're _really_ intent on staying?" Merlin jumped as the Lord spoke out of the blue, the man not even realizing that he'd come into the room. Snorting at the question the tinker paced around, still looking upward at the ceiling hole.

"Are you _really_ going to ask stupid questions?"

"You can't speak to me like that." Lord LeFou huffed, pushing on his leg with a paw before stalking back out of his space and over to the window, standing up on his hind legs and staring out. "If you're so set on being a servant you're supposed to be doing what _I_ dictate, not you."

"Then give me direction." The tinker replied, still working out the list of tools in his head.

There was an extended silence that made him finally look at the beast, Lord LeFou almost out the door when he finally clapped his eyes on him again. "Do as you like."

"... as you wish." Merlin replied, feeling more puzzled than ever before. The lord certainly ran hot and cold at a moment's notice.

***

It went on like that for the week, Lord LeFou trying to cajole Merlin into leaving and then fairly immediately giving up at the mildest push back, the tinker fixing the roof hole and straightening up what seemed a decade's worth of damage. Finally when he felt confident enough he pestered the Lord till he consented to having his bedding pulled apart and carted out into the yard, Merlin piling it into a wash tub and pumping water over it, working it over with what soap he'd brought with him. Lord LeFou prowled around nearby, grumbling at him and pawing at his garden gently, pulling wayward weeds from the rows gingerly with his teeth.

"...so has it always been this way?" Merlin asked idly, glancing around as he awaited a response to his purposefully stupid question. He knew by then that the Lord couldn't resist replying to something of that kind.

The beast huffed loudly, spitting the latest invader from his mouth before fixing his blue eyes on Merlin in a long suffering stare. "Don't be daft."

"Oh?" Merlin feigned, smiling a smile that was just that side of Cheshire. "Tell me about it."

Lord LeFou looked vaguely disgusted with him and went back to his herbs, pressing his paws to the edges of the dirt at the root of each to make sure the looser dirt remained in place. Over the week Merlin had noticed that the garden was something of an obsession for the strange thing, most of his focus devoted to preening it during the day. It was the only kempt thing about the area. "Once upon a time it was newer and didn't have damage done to it. Then water damaged the roof, then the roof fell in. The End."

"Rubbish story." Merlin said with a frown, finding the lord looking ever so pleased with himself. "Surely you can be less vague."

"I will be what I please, and what pleases me is to be vague." Lord LeFou replied, tone somewhat brittle despite the smart remark. "Why should a peasant pry into my affairs?"

"Because who else will?" The dark haired man asked, frustrated that the beast was so cagey. "You're alone here."

"Unfortunately untrue at the moment." Lord LeFou bit back. "All will be well again when you depart."

Merlin glared at the sable beast before turning back to his washing, muttering under his breath as he took out his frustrations on the lord's bedding.

***

"What are you still doing here?" Lord LeFou asked the eighth afternoon. "There's nothing left for you to do. You should go home to your mother."

Merlin smiled broadly down at him, shrugging his shoulders as he started hammering again. "Clearly you don't have eyes. There's still plenty for me to fix."

The lord made a disgusted noise, batting at his leg in aggravation. "Don't you know when to quit!?"

"Not even remotely."

***

Merlin had intended to leave the lord's service as soon as he felt satisfied but... that time never came. The longer he stayed, the more he noticed. The more they became acquainted the more intrigued he became. Eventually he grew tired of foraging every day for supplies and drew up a list, bringing it to the lord's attention the next morning.

"You're sure you won't just leave permanently?" Lord LeFou asked, clearly trying to sound hopeful and failing spectacularly. Merlin only smiled fondly, tapping the end of the beast's nose with his index finger as they sat together in the drawing room.

"That'd be too easy on you." He replied, waving the list at him vaguely. "Is there anything you'd like me to select specifically?"

The lord looked thoughtful, something about his furrowed brow endearing to Merlin. Finally looking up, LeFou stated: "Peaches."

It took him by surprise, the dark haired man having expected something more along the lines of meat. "As you wish."

***

When Merlin returned that evening with their supplies he found Lord LeFou waiting in the doorway, the beast turning and making way immediately as he brought things inside. Aside from the regular supplies he had managed to procure peaches; nothing could prepare him for how happy the lord became when presented with one, his blue eyes lighting up immediately.

"I haven't had one of these in years." He murmured as Merlin cut the fruit in question up, offering a piece to him a moment later. The lord looked briefly conflicted before carefully eating it directly from Merlin's hand, the beast licking it's lips afterward with a pleased hum that came dangerously close to a cat's purr.

"Good?" Merlin asked, the question sincere for once.

Looking almost sheepish the lord bobbed his head in response. "Very."

After that Merlin went out of his way to find things to make Lord LeFou happy, gladdened deeply by the beast's improving mood. Somehow they became fast friends, the lord slowly beginning to confide in his sole servant.

"Many Knights used to live here." LeFou answered him one night after Merlin asked after the expansive quarters on the second floor. "Men with far too much pride."

He sounded a bit sad, the tone making Merlin frown as he watched the beast's back from where he was sitting, LeFou curled up before the fire. "Why did they leave?"

"Their guilt made them flee, I suppose." LeFou's tail wagged briefly before lying flat. "Conjecture is pointless. They simply left."

"That sounds the farthest from simple as could be." Merlin huffed, rubbing his temple as he reclined back against the settee. "Won't you be honest with me, my lord?"

They were silent a while before LeFou broke. "Why should I be honest with you?"

"Because I'm your _friend_." The response seemed to catch him off guard, Merlin feeling a bit wrong footed blurting something like that out in the heat of the moment. "Please, LeFou..."

"Arthur."

Merlin's brow furrowed. "What?"

"I'm tired of... hearing that name. Call me Arthur."

"... Arthur?"

The beast's frame seemed to relax just slightly with the new name, LeFou- Arthur lifting his head and looking back at Merlin with an unreadable expression. "You're a good man, Merlin."

The comment was so non-sequitur that the tinker was stunned into silence, Merlin only finding his tongue again well after the Lord had dozed off from the warmth.

***

A morning dawned that found Merlin rising with the Sun for once, the lone servant standing on the patio to breathe in the fresh morning air with a cup of tea in hand, the rays of light filtering through the waking forest that surrounded the mansion, creating a stunning sight.

Taking a sip of his tea he sighed happily, for whatever reason feeling well rested and rather content, now settled into his role and comfortable with how things were going in the lord's household.

Ten minutes later that peaceful feeling broke, a scream from inside the mansion making him jump out of his skin and drop his tea cup, it shattering on the stones beneath his feet. Turning back toward the mansion he wondered if Arthur had awoke to some kind of nightmare, briefly wondering if someone as fierce-some looking would be susceptible to such a thing. Shaking off the semi-ridiculous thought he furrowed his brow, perplexed by the faint sound of running that made it to his ears.

"MERLIN!" With that familiar shout hitting his ears a man skidded into view wrapped in Arthur's red cloak, his long blonde hair startling close in color to Arthur's sable fur...

Gaping at the under dressed man things finally slotted into place, Merlin's eyes as wide as saucers. "A-Arthur?"

Suddenly the man seized him by the shoulders laughing and shaking him excitedly. "YOU BROKE MY CURSE!! YOU DAFT, INFURIATING MAN!!"

Grabbing onto the lord of the mansion in return he joined him in his practical jumping for joy, bafflement over the situation making him laugh as well. "You were cursed!? Why did you never tell me, you utter moron!? I could've helped you sooner!!"

Merlin found their foreheads pressed together as Arthur stopped bouncing excitedly, one hand cupping the back of the tinker's neck as the lord laughed breathlessly at the questions. "You fool, you thought a beast once had knights and lived in a mansion? I knew you were thick headed but I never realized just _how much_."

Coloring deep red he punched the shorter man in the shoulder, pausing at the realization of their new differences. As a beast Arthur was gigantic... and as a man he was so decidedly not, standing roughly an inch shorter than Merlin himself. Gone were the horns, the fur, and the scales, leaving lightly tanned skin and long blonde locks that fell over his shoulders in a thick cascade. The only thing that remained familiar about him was his intelligent blue eyes, now framed by a handsome face that made Merlin's stomach twist into knots. "We..."

"Hm?" Arthur looked so utterly pleased and yet entirely unaware of the affect he was having on Merlin, whatever human social graces he'd had long gone, leaving him hovering in Merlin's personal space rather than exiting it in an appropriate manner.

Swallowing hard he reached out and tugged on the cloak that was all that was separating them, raising one eyebrow pointedly. "We need to get you into some real clothes, I think."

Arthur suddenly flushed deep red, nearly matching the cloak's color as he backed up and nodded to the assessment, drawing the cloak tighter around himself. "That... that would be good."

***

Days later Hunith rode up on Marigold, Merlin greeting her warmly and helping her down from her horse. She'd brought the clothes that he'd ordered on behalf of Arthur the day the curse broke, along with some little gifts that she'd brought along of her own accord. Upon seeing the pack of clothes Arthur let out a sigh of relief, taking them from Merlin's arms eagerly. "Finally I'll have sleeves that don't cover my hands!"

"Ungrateful man." Merlin snorted as Arthur ran off to change, Hunith tilting her head thoughtfully as she watched him go. "Something wrong?"

"You've really improved his mood, my dear." She murmured, gaze sweeping back to him as a small smile played at her lips. "And... it seems he's inspired a little something in you as well. You're different than when you left."

Flushing under the scrutiny he looked out the window, not wanting to meet his mother's gaze. What an absurd idea, Arthur changing him?

"You've always been excellent at your business, Merlin... But I think you'd been looking for something more for a while. Perhaps you've found it?"

Merlin opened his mouth to refute that thought but Arthur came rushing back in and suddenly it was hard to breathe, the ridiculous man dressed in a well fitting blue tunic and cream breeches that left little to the imagination. He was positively beaming as he did a little turn, showing off all sides and making his hair flip over one shoulder. "So? Does it look all right?"

"You look wonderful, my Lord." Hunith replied, covering Merlin's stunned reaction smoothly, standing and stepping into Arthur's space to straighten his collar and fix one of his sleeves. "Next you should come visit my shop in Ealdor, have a little walk about and show yourself off. I'm sure you'll be the talk of the town."

Arthur flushed at the praise, gaze sliding to Merlin, his anxiousness clear it seemed only to the servant. Getting to his feet Merlin went and poured out three cups of tea, taking one to his mother to try and divert the line of conversation. "Tell me, how's the shop been doing, mother?"

It was worth hearing the meandering aggravations of customer service just to see Arthur relax, Merlin smiling slightly as he watched the man settle into his favorite chair with one of the cups, utterly contented.

***

Hunith left a few days later with a wave and a slightly smug smile in Merlin's direction, leaving Arthur and Merlin standing together awkwardly in the rough-hewn road before they both decided to go back into the mansion, the lord going to the shed in search of his tools for gardening while his servant went to take care of the washing. They worked in companionable silence a while, Merlin hanging the wash on the line, absorbed in the task till he noticed the sound of footsteps, finding Arthur hovering nearby shortly thereafter. "Yes, my lord? Do you need something?"

Turning he found that he'd misjudged how close the man was out of the corner of his eye, finding barely a hand's breadth between them when he'd turned. Arthur curled one hand tentatively over Merlin's bicep, fingers digging slightly into the fabric as he looked up at his sole servant. Suddenly Merlin's heartbeat was at a rabbit's pace, his ears burning from that look. Oh. Oh no.

"Merlin..." Arthur's tone was careful, his expression a matching sort of cautious. "I just wanted to say... thank you. For everything. Not just breaking the curse but... but for being such a good friend to me. Even if your loyalty hadn't been enough... I would've been just happy to have had you around."

"You're... you're welcome, Arthur." In a moment of bravery he curled his hand over the lord's, smiling at him. "It's been an honor to be by your side."

When the moment ended and Arthur slipped away, back to his work, Merlin felt as though he'd just missed a great opportunity, but for what he hadn't a clue.

***

Weeks later it was easy to recognize what an idiot he was being.

Every day with Arthur was like some slow torture, his heart fit to burst with how much his feelings had grown toward his lordship. The more they worked together to restore and explore things the more Merlin wanted to crumble the wall between them. He was in love with this infuriating nobleman. The beast. The utter _terror_.

Each smile he gave Merlin made him want to scream, to humiliate himself utterly and expound upon his affections like a loon. The casual touches and aggravating invasions of personal space made him long to grab on and never let go.

When he actually did break it was over the most simple thing. The part of Arthur's garden that held only flowers was fully in bloom and the man was just basking in the sunlight between the rows of them, inhaling their sweet scent deeply. He looked like a god fallen to Earth, glowing in the midday sun.

Merlin stalked over to him and fell to his knees between to the lord's akimbo legs, cupping his face in his hands before kissing him softly.

To his shock and awe Arthur simply looped his arms around Merlin's neck, pulling him closer. Sliding his hands back he caught his fingers on the tie that kept the lord's hair back, pulling it apart and combing out the long locks with his fingers as he deepened the kiss, his tongue drawing over Arthur's full lips before being allowed beyond.

When the kiss drew to a close they lingered together, foreheads pressed as they'd been the day the curse had broke, Arthur smiling at him weakly. "... I thought you'd never get around to that."

Merlin laughed, exasperated and endeared all at once. "I didn't realize... I just... there's not words for how much I love you."

Swallowing audibly Arthur framed Merlin's face with his hands, kissing him softly before returning the sentiment. "I love you too."

***

Their relationship took small steps, the pair skirting each other just as much as they gravitated toward one another, their days broken up by cautious exploration till Arthur invited Merlin shyly into his room after dinner one night.

For all their fumblings they made it through it, both inexperienced but pleased to learn alongside their newfound partner. Arthur straddled Merlin's thighs and guided him inside, both men gasping as pleasure gripped them both tightly, the pair leaning against each other as Arthur slowly settled into Merlin's lap. The closeness was exquisite, Merlin mouthing at Arthur's neck as he slowly started to rock up into him, the lord catching his drift and slowly rising up before dropping back down, both gasping at the effect. Their pace gradually changed from the languid experimentation to something more fevered, Merlin helping Arthur to move with a supportive pair of hands on his behind, the lord chuckling at the move.

"Can't keep your hands... off my backside... as per usual."

Merlin laughed in response, nipping at his lover's Adam's apple. "It's so round... s'hard to resist." To demonstrate his point he gave Arthur's behind a squeeze, the blonde man burying his face against Merlin's neck to muffle a moan. "Lovely."

"You surely must be a cambion." Arthur panted as Merlin quickened their pace, pulling Arthur down onto his cock harder with each thrust he made upward, the two lost to it till it was too much to take for the both of them, orgasm seizing the both of them nearly in the same moment. With the grip that came from that abrupt end Merlin was certain he would be seeing his own fingertips imprinted on Arthur's lovely bottom days later.

"... for you I am." Merlin murmured, kissing the lord deeply as they laid back together, the pair running their hands over each other in simple, casual caresses. Just for the joy of being together. "For you I'm anything you need."

"You're all I'll ever need." Arthur replied, quiet and clearly content, his blue eyes practically sparkling.

Smiling broadly at that the tinker leaned in, kissing his lover's forehead. "As you wish."


End file.
